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With grateful acknowledgments to Mr. Clio Harper, author of the 
prologue, and to the unknown author of The Future's closing speech. 

Copyright by Arkansas Tuberculosis Association. 



APR 26 1922 

©GI.D 60H28 

THE JOBDAN-FOSTER-HAMILTON CO., LITTLE ROCK 



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Time : Today. 



CHARACTERS 



Judge: Public Opinion. 

Spirit of Double Bajired Cross: Costume as designed by National Tubercu- 
losis Association. Long loose white robe; white close-fitting draped nun's 
headgear; large double barred cross on breast. 

Joyless Childhood, Plaintiff: A neglected boy, very ragged and unkempt. 

Nobody: Attorney and next friend for Joyless Childhood; dressed in long 
loose black robe; monk's hood. 

Public Indifference, Defendant: Father of Joyless Childhood; shabby. 

Common Ignorance, Defendant: Mother of Joyless Childhood; separate waist 
and skirt of incongruous finery; hat of another period. Gay striped stock- 
ings; incongruous slippers. Any costume which shows good material but 
no harmony. 

Public Neglect: Attorney for Public Indifference and Common Ignorance. 

Tradition: Mother of Common Ignorance. Old-fashioned gown and bonnet 
of good material. 

Disease : Long, loose, gray gown ; close-fitting hood with the words, "Measles," 
"Itch," "Whooping Cough," etc., painted on the gown in bright letters. 

Tuberculosis: Tall, very thin person; long, loose, white robe with death 
heads stenciled in black on the skirt, bound loosely at waist with cord; pro- 
truding teeth, which can be inserted of orange peel. 

Crime: Very careless dress with shirt open at the neck and sleeves rolled up; 
one hand chained to a ragged boy. 

Dirt: Small, neglected-looking boy; should be good natural comedian. 

Failure: Old man, whiskers, soft hat, long ulster. Should be good comedian. 

Progress: Witness for Joyless Childhood. An up-to-date, well-groomed man. 

Sunshine: Yellow curls and gown, w^hich may be made of crepe paper with 
skirt in strips; good dancer. 

Enlightened Motherhood: Soft, clinging, white gown or beautiful evening 
costume. 

Health: Attendant to Enlightened Motherhood. Robust youth in khaki. 

Education: Attendant to Enlightened Motherhood. Young man or woman in 
college cap and gown. 

JoY: Attendant to Enlightened Motherhood. Graceful dancer; in soft, many 
colored gown. 

The Future: Tall, beautiful woman. Greek robe, loosely confined at waist 
with cord; silver or gold wreath in her hair. 

Public Conscience: Lovely woman in a soft white gown. 

Health Department: A tuberculosis nurse, attendant to Public Conscience. 

Two Lovely Children of Enlightened Motherhood. 

Itch and Whooping Cough: Two dirty children of Common Ignorance. 

A Dirty Baby. 

Court Reporter. 



Scene: A court room. The Judge at a high desk in center of back of stage. 
In front of Judge's desk a small table behind which is Court Reporter. 
Witness chair in front of table. To the Judge's left are seated in the order 
named: Public Indifference, Common Ignorance, Tradition, Disease, 
Crime, with ragged child chained to him on the floor at his feet; Failure. 
Common Ignorance has baby at her feet on floor. Dirt, Itch and Whooping 
Cough on the floor in front of the defendant's group. 

To the Judge's right are seated The Future, Progress, Enlightened 
Motherhood, Health, Education, Joy, Sunshine, in the order named. In 
front of them, or in the same roAV, if space permits, are the two beautiful 
children of Enlightened Motherhood. 

As the trial proceeds Sunshine dances forward at each mention of her 
name. Dirt turns somersaults, cuts capers, makes faces and quietly attracts 
attention to his antics as he is mentioned. Behind the defendant. Tuber- 
culosis moves softly back and forth, hovering and reaching even over the 
Judge himself. Crime rattles his chains. Itch scratches and Whooping 
Coiigh whoops occasionally. Both chew gum conspicuously, and some- 
times pull and stretch it. 

On the Plaintiff's side Nobody sits at the Reporter's table. On the 
defendant's side is vacant chair for Public Neglect, to the left of which is 
seated Joyless Childhood near his mother. Common Ignorance. 

Local allusions may be changed to suit local conditions, as, for in- 
stance, the reference to "eradication of cattle ticks." 

PROLOGUE 

Spirit of the Double Barred Cross (spoken before the curtain) : 

We come to plead a cause that challenges the years, 
That warms the stony heart and bids our welling tears 
To flow in sympathy with childish hopes and fears. 

Within these dawning lives the well-springs of the world 
May flow in crystal streams by smiling meads empearled. 
Or to Dead Seas of dread all wantonly be hurled. 

From out the gloom and dark we crave a brighter ray: 

As beggars? Nay, not so! For these long years have they 

Neglected been and stranded as driftwood by the spray. 

We rob sweet childhood's days of joys they only dream. 
Eclipse their sun with clouds and dull the brilliant beam 
Of Youth's bright morns till drab and desolate they seem. 

Indifference has slain his victims manifold, 
Tradition, brutalized, would sell her own for gold, 
Neglect, complacent, sees the Moloch's arms enfold. 

When e'en Nobody comes to plead their cause, the crowd 
Turns deafened ears while wakened Conscience cries aloud, 
And Failure grimly sneers and hems another shroud. 

In symbol here w^e lay the message on your heart, 

Will you not heed and act, or will you stand apart. 

While God-like lives are wrecked by Crime's seductive art? 

Before your eyes have we arraigned the craven crew 

That steals the children's happiness: and you. 

What may your answer be? What can, what WILL you do? 

4 



Judge: The court will come to order. Take off your hat, Failure. Take 
off your hat in this court room, Failure. { Failure, somewhat bewildered, com- 
plies, after being nudged by Crime.) We have for trial the case of Joyless 
Childhood vs. Public Indifference and Common Ignorance. Nobody is attorney 
for plaintiff and Public Neglect for defendant. Are you ready for trial, 
Nobody? 

Nobody: I am, Your Honor. 

Judge: Public Neglect, are you ready for trial? {Enter Public Neglect, 
hurriedly, from defendant's side of stage, portfolio in hand.) 

Public Neglect: Defendant requests postponement, Your Honor. Pve 
been so closely tied up in putting over the appropriation for eradication of 
cattle ticks and a number of other really important matters I've been unable to 
get to this case. We'd like a continuance until these big public questions are 
fully disposed of. 

Judge: I've never known you ready for trial yet. Public Neglect. For 
ages you have insisted on an indefinite postponement of this case of Joyless 
Childhood, and today you go to trial. Call your witnesses. Nobody. 

Nobody {calls roll as folloivs) : Joyless Childhood, Progress, Enlight- 
ened Motherhood, Health, Education, Joy, Future. {Each stands and answers.) 

Judge: Call your witnesses. Public Neglect. 

Public Neglect: Common Ignorance, Public Indifference, Disease, 
Tuberculosis, Crime, Dirt, Failure, Tradition. [Each stands and answers to 
his name.) 

Judge: Witnesses will be sworn. Hold up your right hands. {Ignorance 
puts up her left.) I said your right hands, please. {Ignorance still doesn't 
understand.) Your right hand, please, Ignorance. Do you and each of you 
solemnly swear that you will make true and perfect answer to the questions 
you will be asked in this case? 

Witnesses: I do. {All are seated.) 

Judge: State your case, Nobody. 

Nobody: {Reads.) Comes petitioner, Joyless Childhood, by his next 
friend. Nobody, and respectfully represents to the court that Public Indiffer- 
ence is his father and Common Ignorance is his mother;' that said parents have 
inflicted upon him unspeakable cruelties, from which thousands of his brothers 
and sisters have died and others linger in wretchedness, and have deprived him 
of his natural companions. Health, Education and Joy, to the great distress of 
petitioner. Petitioner states that he is a neglected child, and prays his removal 
from his said parents and the appointment as his guardian of Progress, who 
wdll insure to him Health, Education and Joy, and all the rightful heritage of 
Childhood. 

Judge: What reply have yoii to make for your client. Public Neglect? 

Public Neglect: Defendants deny the charge. 

Judge {to Nobody) : Produce the witnesres. 

Nobody: Joyless Childhood. {loyless Childhood takes the stand.) Tell 
the Court your name, little one. 

Joyless: Joyless Childhood, but the fellers calls me Tatters. 

Nobody: Well, Tatters, where do you live? 

Joyless: Down in the Bee-hive. ( Use local name of ivorst part of town.) 

Nobody: Got a father? 



Joyless: Piece o' one. 

Nobody: A mother? 

Joyless : Uh-huh. 

Nobody: What's your father's name? 

Joyless: Public Indifference. 

Nobody: And your mother? 

Joyless: Common Ignorance. 

Nobody: How are you treated at home? 

Joyless: You mean Pap? {Nobody nods). Oh, he don't lose no sleep 
over us. 

Nobody: And your mother? 

Joyless: Maw's all right. She lets us do anything we want to, and if 
she won't, we jes keep a askin' and a askin' until she gits plum tired out, then 
we kin. 

Nobody: Do you have enough to eat? 

Joyless: Uh-huh. 

Nobody: Do you get enough er-er-milk? 

Joyless : Maw buys some, but ' Dirt gits into it. (Dirt makes himself 
conspicuous) and say, it makes you awful sick. 

Nobody: Can your mother cook? 

Joyless: (With surprise, some amusement.) Course Maw can cook. She 
kin cook most an)lhing, if she don't forgit to git it at the store. 

Nobody: What did you have good for supper last night? 

Joyless : Taters 'n' rice 'n' beans 'n' gravy. 

Nobody: What kind of gravy? 

Joyless: Fat meat gravy, kind o' swimmy, you know. 

Judge : Ah-hah. 

Nobody: What time do you go to bed? 

Joyless: When the fellers git tired playin* out. 

Nobody: Do you sleep with your windows open, Joyless? 

Joyless: Jes' listen (laughing). Naw, Disease he don't like night air, 
and Maw says it ain't good for childern. 

Nobody: Do you play with Sunshine? (Sunshine dances forward.) 

Joyless: Naw, Disease can't stand her on the place, 'n' B^ar'closis fairly 
howls when she comes in. I'd like to play with her tho, she's lots o' fun; she 
kin dance, but none o' our crowd won't have nuthin' to do with her. 

Nobody: It seems to me you have a full house — Disease there. Tubercu- 
losis. Does anybody else live there? 

Joyless : Why, there's Grandma Tradition, she always a talkin,' 'n' Disease 
a snoopin' round; 'n' dirt, he thinks he ow^ns the place; 'n' everyone of 'em's 
got a bunch o' childern. 

Nobody: How do you get on with Disease and Dirt? Ever fight them? 

Joyless: Naw, you betcher, I don't stir up no snakes. They don't play 
fair. 

Nobody: Don't play fair? How's that? 

Joyless : They're always bringin' in Itch, 'n' Whoopin' Cough, 'n' Measles 
'n' then Good Night! Health moved right out, 'n' don't hardly ever stay here, 



'n' now Ber'closis jes' stands round waitin' a chance to git me. 'N' the Doctor 
up to the hospital told Maw if she didn't watch out y'z^berc'losisi will git the 
baby. Ber'closis, he's the meanest o' the lot of 'em, cause he drove Joy out 
of the house. 

Nobody: Don't you know, Joyless, that Education will help fight Dirt, 
Tuberculosis, and all the Disease family? 

Joyless: Say, did you ever hear about Frisky Health that lives up on the 
hill with Sunshine? One time Frisky told me about her. He says she's a 
peach. I think she'd be glad to come to see us, but our big dog. Greed, won't 
let strangers come on the place. 

Nobody: Does your mother like to have Dirt and Disease live with you? 

Joyless: Oh, yeah, they and Maw's old friends. They grew up together. 

Nobody: Take the witness. 

Public Neglect: Who told you how to answer those questions, Joyless? 

Joyless: Nobody. 

Pub. Neg. : There, Your Honor. A plain case of conspiracy ! We'll 
show before we're thru there's nothing unusual to justify these outrageous 
charges. 

Judge : Call your next witness. 

Nobody: Progress will take the stand. [J oyless returns to seat and Prog- 
ress comes forward to witness chair.) 

Nobody: Your name? 

Progress: Progress, friend of Childhood. 

Nobody: How^ long have you known Common Ignorance and Public In- 
difference, the defendants in this case? 

Progress: Since the world began. 

Nobody: Do you know their children? 

Progress: All of them. Though Ignorance is the most prolific mother 
in the w^orld, she is the most wretched. She has murdered her children by 
millions. 

Nobody: Explain to the court what you mean. 

Progress: Bad food for one thing. 

Nobody: Bad food? What's wrong with her feeding? 

Progress : Babies have no machinery to digest and assimilate pickles and 
meat and starch and coffee and coca-cola and bananas. Millions of babies 
should have written on their tombstones "Slain by its loving mother with a 
banana." 

Nobody: In w^hat other instances has she failed to do her duty to her 
children? 

Progress: Crime, there, is a victim of her early neglect. He breathes 
through his mouth, a dentist never saw his teeth, and his whole childhood was a 
struggle to be well. What kind of mind can you expect from such a body? 

Nobody: What else do you know of her as a mother? 

7 




Progress: And look at Failure, too. Poor Failure never had a chance. 
Indifference and Ignorance never cared what kind of playmates their children 
had. They have always been most intimate with that vicious Disease family. 
Tuberculosis has been Failure's chum from babyhood, and Ignorance never 
objected; she has even encouraged it, in fact. She is too selfish and lazy to 
let the children amuse themselves at home; their noise, she says, drives her dis- 
tracted. Old man Indifference never seems to mind either, just so long as they 
don't bother him. 

Nobody: What's the objection to Tuberculosis? He's well known to us 
all. What's wrong with him? 

Progress: Tuberculosis is the most cold-blooded, persistent assassin in the 
world. He works with Darkness, Disease and Dirt. Sunshine and Fresh Air 
are the only persons in the world that can cope with him. 

Nobody : In what other respects, Progress, do you feel that Ignorance has 
failed in caring for Childhood? 

Progress: Does that child look as if he ever really played? Ignorance 
thinks he should be put to work early to pay his parents for the trouble of 
raising him. Ignorance, I'd have you know, has ruined the minds and bodies 
of thousands of her children. They scarcely have a chance. She says let them 
play with Measles and Whooping Cough now, and get it over with, and the little 
unpainted pine boxes are lowered by tens of thousands into the grave. It's 
cruel, cruel, cruel. And yet you say the child is the property of the State. 

Nobody: Take the witness. 



Pub. Neg.: You speak rather freely in charging Disease and Dirt with 
murder, Progress? Why have you never brought these crimes to the attention 
of the public authorities? 

Progress: I have, many times; but Ignorance and Indifference have 
always prevented indictments. 

Public Neglect: Do you mean to say that Ignorance and Indifference 
are prominent citizens of this community and exert an influence in its affairs? 
{importantly) . 

Progress: I do. 

Pub. Neg.: Explain. 

Progress: The operations of that precious pair are matters of common 
knowledge in this state. Haven't he and Ignorance built sumptuous courthouses 
and highways in the wilderness while they closed hundreds of schools? (Use 
local allusion here.) Haven't you, yourself, Public Neglect, even assisted them 
in persecuting Education and murdering one baby in seven? 

Pub. Neg.: [Hastily) That will do. 

Nobody: Witness dismissed. 

Disease: See here. Nobody's got to answer for these disgraceful charges 
being made against me. I've always been one of the stand-bys of this State. 
I'm a thrifty citizen, carrying my business into the very best homes, invited 
there, you might say, and object to being dragged into this law^suit in the way 
I've been today. 

Judge: Order, Disease, order in the court room. 

Nobody: Plaintiff rests, your Honor. {Witness returns to seat). 

Judge: Plaintiff rests. Call the first witness for the defense. 

Pub. Neg.: Public Indifference will take the stand. (Public Indifference 
is reading funny paper.) Public Indifference will take the stand. \ Public In- 
difference takes ivitness chair slowly, carrying paper.) 

Pub. Neg. : Are you the father of Joyless Childhood? 

Pub. Ind. : Well, I reckin I am. 

Pub. Neg. : You have heard the testimony of Progress. Is it true that 
you and Ignorance have neglected Joyless, as Nobody is attempting to prove? 

Pub. Ind.: No, sir; seems to me we've always done a good part by our 
childern. He's gettin' as good as his mother and father ever got. 

Pub. Neg.: Is it true that the Disease family abuse him? 

Pub. Ind.: I've always believed in lettin' childern look out for theirselves. 
We never mollycoddled 'em none. 

Pub. Neg. : Then you tell this court positively that Disease has never 
abused Joyless? 

Pub. Ind.: Not as I know of. \^Tioopin' Cough and all that bunch are 
just giving him a little trainin' in how to take care of himself. No abuse about 
it; jes' trainin', sir, trainin'. 

Pub. Neg. : Take the witness. 

Nobody: Don't you know the Disease family has killed nearly all your 
children? 

Pub. Ind.: Well, it seems to me there always has been enough childern, 
and I believe there always will be. They might as well be killed by Disease as 
by War, and the State ain't stoppin' War none. 

P. Neg.: Witness dismissed. 

Pub. Ind. {leaving stand) : Say, Jedge, did you see what Maggie did to 
Jiggs today? 

9 



Judge: Call the next witness. 

P. Neg. : Common Ignorance will take the stand. {Common Ignorance 
comes forward^ very self-consciously and gropingly, leading the baby.) Are 
you the mother of Joyless Childhood? 

C. Ig.: lair. 

P. Neg.: How many children have you, Common Ignorance? 

C. Ig: How many childern have I got? Well, I got a-plenty of 'em, a 
plenty. 

Pub. Neg.: Have you had training in rearing children? 

C. Ig.: Trainin'? Trainin' in raisin' young uns? Well, I reckon it don't 
take no trainin' to raise young uns. Lord knows my mother didn't hev no 
trainin,' en I guess she hed a plenty of 'em. Childern jes' grows like anything 
else. Course some of 'em dies, but what of that? They're always plenty of 
'em comin' on, ain't they? 

Pub. Neg.: Haven't you done your best to make Joyless happy? 

C. Ig. : Well, my childern don't seem to grumble none. As fer Joyless, 
why he's always been kinder pindlin' and no account! He's been actin' funny 
and curious tho since he let that Frisky Health come in one day and brought Sun- 
shine and Fresh Air, that I ain't got no use fer, a taggin' at his heels. Well, its 
a good thing I wasn't home. You kin bet they'd a skeddadled quick enough. 
Looks like I kaint keep him away from that bunch no more. I don't hold with 
mixin' with no new folks myself, ner lettin' my childern do it. I come from an 
old family, the Jedge knows that, and I don't never aim to let Nobody fergit 
hit neither. 

P. Neg. : Has Joyless been made unhappy by the presence of Dirt and 
Disease in the family? 

C. Ig. : Unhappy? What's the difference, I'd like to know? Hit's come to 
a pretty pass if a young un kaint git along with his own kin. Aint me and 
Disease and Dirt all the childern of Tradition? Why shouldn't we all live 
together ? 

P. Neg. : Have they ever abused him, as he says ? 

C. Ig. : Abused him? Well, I should say not. They may have got the 
best of him in a tussle now 'n' then, but tusslin's good fer young uns — it makes 
'em hardy. 

P. Neg. : Some of your children are well-known people, aren't they, 
Ignorance? 

C. Ig.: Well I reckon they air. 

P. Neg. : Tell the court about them. 

C. Ig. : Jedge here knows my two sons well. Failure and Crime air well 
known everywhere. They're what you might call real leaders now, aint they, 
Jedge? Failure is in every part of the world and every line of business, and 
I reckin Crime is some punkins, if I do say it myself, fer you bet everybody is 
afraid of him. 

P. Neg. : Take the witness. 

Nobody: Who taught you to raise children, Ignorance? 

C. Ig. : Hm-m my mother, Tradition, I reckon. {Here baby cries, and 
Tradition goes forward to get it.) 

Nobody: Doesn't that baby need a bath? 

Tradition: Taint healthy nor accordin' to nature to be forever sousin' a 
baby in water ; they ain't fish. 

10 



Nobody: How do you tell when the water is the right temperature? 

C. Ig. : Temperchure? Temperchure? 

Nobody: Yes, whether the water is too hot or too cold. 

C. Ig. : I don't know nothin' about temperchure, an' I don't want to know 
nothin' neither about no new f angled notions. If I wuz to souse him in water, 
which I don't say I air likely to do, I'd just souse him in, 'en if he squalled 
and turned blue I'd smack him and put in some hot water, and if he squalled 
and turned red I'd smack him and put in some cold water, 'n' anyways I know 
I'd smack 'im for hollerin'. 

Nobody: You say you have had years of experience in raising children? 

C. Ig. : I shore hev. 

Nobody: Where are they now? 

C. Ig. : Dead, most of 'em. 

Nobody: Ah -hah. How long have you been blind. Ignorance? 

C. Ig. : Blind! Who said I was blind? Well, I reckin this is some more 
of the lies Progress has been tellin' about me. 

Nobody: And you say you are not blind? 

C. Ig.: No, I haint blind! 

Nobody: Have you ever seen your neighbor Progress? 

C. Ig. : Seen Progress ? No, and what's more, I don't want to see him. I 
don't never aim to have nothin' to do with no new folks^ fer they shore go agin 
my grain. 

Nobody: So you don't know Progress? Do you happen to know. Ignor- 
ance, that Progress is trying to get school inspection and school nursing in your 
community and to drive out Tuberculosis? That he wants Childhood to have 
plenty of time to play, and that he is trying to give Motherhood and Childhood 
state protection from Disease and Dirt? 

C. Ig.: Pertection? From Disease and Dirt? My own kin? So he's 
one o' these here grafters, is he, taxin' the people for a lot of new fangled 
notions, jes' so's to give lazy folks jobs? No, thank goodness, I don't know 
him. I don't associate with no sich. Tryin' to oust my folks out o' office, where 
they've always been, and drivin' we'uns out of the country. Jedge, I ask you, 
ain't we'uns always had things the way Tradition said to hev um? Well, I 
guess what's good enough for Tradition is good enough fer me and you, Jedge, 
and a raft o' other folks, too, (rising excitedly) an' I reckin we'll have it that a 
way, if votes count for anything, an' I reckin they do, hey, Jedge? 

Judge (interrupting) : Sit down. Ignorance, sit down. 

Nobody: That's all. 

P. Neg.: Witness is dismissed. Tradition, will you take the stand? (Tra- 
dition takes witness chair. Dirt tags after her and sits on the floor at her side.) 

P. Neg.: Are you the mother of Common Ignorance? 

Tradition: I reckin I am, sir. 

P. Neg. : Both of you live with your daughter ? 

Tradition: We all always aim to hang together. My folks couldn't get 
along without me. (Here witness wipes an apple on her dress after laboring to 
get it from her pocket, takes a bite and hands to Dirt.) 

P. Neg.: Do you help Common Ignorance with the children? 

Tradition: Well you see she was born blind, but we've taken pains she 
shan't know it. Ignorance walks right in my footsteps, she's been trained to. 

11 



She can touch me every time she needs me and between us we get on mighty 
fine with the children. 

P. Neg. : Have you taught her to take care of the children ? 

Tradition: Taught her? Why anybody knows how to take care of chil- 
dren. She knows as much as I do about 'em, and that's saying a right smart. I 
don't take no directions from Nobody, neither. 

P. Neg.: Disease and Dirt are relatives of yours? 

Tradition: They air, sir, and I don't allow Nobody to talk about my 
folks. {Coughs violently.) T. B., bring me a drink to stop this here rattlin' 
cough. [Tuberculosis drinks first, then hands her the cup. She drinks, then 
passes it to Dirt, who stands, feet spread apart and drinks.) 

Nobody: Do you know Education? 

Tradition: Oh, yes, she's the one they want us to pay a poll tax to 
keep up. She aint worth what she comes to. 

Nobody: Don't you think she's a good companion for Childhood? 

Tradition: Well, we let Childhood run with her about five months a 
year. {Change to suit local conditions.) That don't do him no harm. But 
she's always pickin' on Dirt and Whoopin' Cough 'n' Itch and runnin' 'em away 
from school. 

Nobody: Do you really think, Tradition, that five months a year is 
enough for Childhood to associate with Education? 

Tradition: Ignorance never knowed nothin' about her at all, *n' she got 
married. 

Nobody: That's all. 

P. Neg. : Witness dismissed. Defense rests. Your Honor. 

Judge: Progress will please come forward. What have you to offer, sir, 
that is better for Joyless than the School of Hard Knocks to which Public In- 
difference and Common Ignorance are sending him? {Progress leads forward 
Enlightened Motherhood with Health, Education, and Joy following.) 

Progress : If it please Your Honor, I will assure him the most sacred care 
a child can know. Enlightened Motherhood will give him true mother love. 
Knowledge rules her household. Instead of Dirt and Disease, Sunshine and 
Fresh Air abide with her. Hear from her own lips what she brings to him. 

Judge: Who are you, woman, that you should be awarded the custody 
of the child of this blind mother? 

E. M. : I am Enlightened Motherhood. All my life has listened to the cry 
of suffering childhood, and I come today to offer Joyless rich gifts. These, 
your Honor {pointing to Joy, Education and Health) are my servants. Tell 
the Judge, Health, what you have for childhood. 

Health : I bring to Childhood, sir, a fleet foot for life's race, a sure hand 
for its toil, a strong arm for its struggle, and courage for all high endeavors. 
With me he will ford the rivers, climb the mountains, navigate the seas, and fly 
as a bird in the air. My gift is the first and greatest of all the gifts of God to 
man. 

E. M. : And you, dear Education, what have 'you for Childhood? 

Education: I will arm him, your Honor, with the magic shield of knowl- 
edge, that he may be protected from the poisoned shafts of Disease, Ignorance 
and Crime. All my boundless opportunities and the vast storehouse of my 
wisdom shall be his. 

E. M.: And you, my beautiful Joy, what can you do for Joyless? 

12 



JOY: {Dancing forward, throning rose petals into the air.) I will teach 
him to play with the flowers, to sing with the birds, to dance with the butterfly 
from blossom to blossom. He will listen when the sea calls, and the night wind 
will whisper him secrets. He will hear God in the roar of His tempests, in the 
babbling of the brook, and in the sweet, low murmur of summer breezes. In 
gladness will he stretch forth his hands to the heavens, with gratitude for the 
sheer beauty of living. 

E. M. : Hear them, I besech you, just Judge. So long has Childhood 
hungered and reached out eager hands for these priceless treasures my servants 
bring, these gifts that belong of right to all radiant Childhood. See, sir [point- 
ing to her own beautiful children, ivho rise), my children, who have Health, 
Education and Joy with them always. With me Joyless shall be even as they 



The Future steps forward. 

The Future: May I add 
my plea, just Judge, to hers? 
I am the Future. For weal 
or woe Childhood is destined 
for my service. Great tasks 
are exacted of me by the 
Supreme Judge of all. Men 
and women must be strong, 
s t r a i g h t-1 i m b ed, clean- 
hearted, quick of mind and 
hand, to solve the problemsi 
I bring. Too long has 
Ignorance robbed me, de- 
frauded Enlightened Mother- 
hood and thwarted the pur- 
pose of even God Himself. 
Henceforth, I pray you, let 
Progress be the guide, the 
councilor, the friend of Joy- 
less Childhood. 

P. Neg. : Must Ignorance, 
the oldest mother in the 
world, the most prolific, be 
deprived of the child she has 
herself produced only be- 
cause she has had the mis- 
fortune to be born blind? 
Surely the rights of this 
great mother will be pro- 
tected by this court. 

Nobody: It is an old plea, sir, taught long ago by that ancient hag. Tradi- 
tion, to protect her vicious daughter, Ignorance. The testimony of Progress 
clearly establishes the guilt of these unAvorthy parents. Their own admissions 
do confirm it. We ask a judgment for Joyless Childhood. 

Judge: A most perplexing question you have raised in this case. With 
great reluctance does a court deprive a mother of her offspring. The mother's 
blindness places on you. Nobody, the burden of proof the most complete, and 
the testimony shows clearly this mother has done the best she knows. We d 

13 




like an expert to help solve this problem. Where is Public Conscience? 
(Public Conscience is brought in from stage entrance to left of Judge in wheel 
chair by Health Department. Conscience is asleep on her pillows.) 

Judge: Wliat siay you, Conscience, in this most perplexing case? (No 
reply. ) 

Judge: What say you, Conscience, in this most perplexing case? 

Conscience: (Rousing slightly. )> Uh-huh, y-e-s. (Looks about as though 
dazed.) Y-e-s, this is rather a congested place. [Sinks back). 

Judge: I did not say "congested place!" I said what assistance can you 
render us in this most perplexing case? Wliat say you, Conscience? 

Consclence: (Again rouses slightly.) Do? What can Conscience do? 
Is it necessary-to-disturb-Conscience? (Sinks back asleep.) 

Nobody: (Shaking Conscience.) Speak! Conscience! in the cause of 
Joyless Childhood, speak! 

Health Department: In vain Fve tried to rouse her. She is not only 
deaf, Your Honor, but blind and paralyzed. 

P. Neg. : And therefore disqualified. 

Judge: Then, Nobody, must Ignorance and Indifference retain the cus- 
tody of Childhood. (Joyless sobs convulsively.) Parents have inalienable 
rights to their children, which this court is slow to disturb. The blindness of 
the mother entitles her to our special consideration, and it is clear the intent 
here is the best. Judgment for defendants in this case. 

(Public Neglect moves away arrogantly, shaking hands with Failure and 
Crime. Joy, Health and Education stretch out their hands to Joyless, who 
starts eagerly toward them. Ignorance drags him back savagely. He drops m 
his chair with his head on the table.) 

Nobody: Oh! Conscience, Conscience, how could you fail us so? Blind, 
deaf, helpless! Poor little Joyless Childhood, how long must you suffer before 
you find a champion who can break through the darkness and the silence where 
the soul of Public Conscience sleeps? How long, Oh God, how long? 

The Future: Grieve not, Nobody. The time is not far distant when the 
cries of the million millions of joyless children, ringing through the ages, will 
be heard of Public Conscience, and she will awake, a mighty champion of the 
rights of Childhood. With patience work and wait. She will awake. Be 
not too sad today. 

Nobody: Her case seems hopeless, Future. How can I work and wait 
with patience while Joyless Childhood is enslaved by Ignorance and Disease? 
What will become of you, dear Future, with slaves as your dependence? 

Future: Remember, I am the Future, and knowledge is mine, too. 

"A glory shines across the coming years. 

The glory of a race grown great and free. 
'Twas seen by poets, sages, saints and seers, 

Whose vision glimpsed the dawn that is to be. 

A shining shore is by the Future's sea. 

Whereon each man shall stand among his peers 

As equal, and to none shall bend the knee. 

Awake, my soul!" 

Lo, Conscience awakes! "Shake off thy doubts and fears; 

(Here Conscience rises and extends hand to Childhood, and soft, but 
rich, joyous music is heard as in distance.) 

14 



Behold the hosts of darkness fade and flee 
Before the beauty of the morning's face, 
And hear the sweet and wondrous melody 
That comes to us from far-off golden days. 
It is the choral song of Liberty, 
It is the anthem of the coming race!" 



(Curtain) 



15 




017 400 850 4 • 



017 400 850 4 



